Improvement in rotary steam-engines



N,PETERS, PNOTO-LITHUGRAPNEH, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes.

T. G. MASSIE, OF PORT HENRY,.NEW YORK.`

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,330. dated September 20, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T. G. MASSIE, of Port Henry, in the county of Essex and State of New York, have in vented a new and Improved Rotary Engine 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l represents a transverse vertical section of the cylinder and piston-wheel and a longitudinal section of the'piston, taken in the plane of section indicated by the line z z, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same, the plane of section being indicated bythe line yy, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, the line x x, Fig. l, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 4 is an inside view of one section of the cylinder detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the application of cams to the inner surfaces of the cylinder-head, or in giving to said inner surfaces the form of cams in such a manner that by the action of said cams the transversely sliding piston is moved forward and backward in the guideslot in the piston-wheel, and the steam is made to act alternately on one or on the other end of the piston or simultaneously on both ends ofthe same, and' thereby a rotary motion is imparted to the piston-wheel.

The invention consists, further, in the arrangementof cavities in the sides of the sliding piston in such a manner that the steam is allowed to pass through said piston from one side of the piston-wheel to the other; also, in the arrangement of roller frames in the sides of the guide-slot in the piston-wheel in such a manner that the motion of the piston is facilitated and the friction reduced; further, in the arrangement of spring-abutinents on the highest parts or apexes of the cams on the inner surfaces of the cylinderheads in such a manner that by the action of these spring-abutements a steam-tight joint is effected on each side of the piston-wheel, and the passage of steam from one side of the piston to the other is prevented; nally, in movable slats inserted into the edges of the piston and exposed to the action of triangular wedges, which are forced out by the action of a spring or springs in such a manner that the edges of the piston work steam-tight and with a yielding pressure against the ends ofthe guide-slot and against the cylinderheads.

A represents the cylinder, which is made of cast-iron or other suitable material, and proV vided with a foot, B, to be secured down upon the foundation or standard C. This cylinder is bored out to receive the piston-wheel I), which tits steam tightvagainst the bosses a in the center and against the shoulders b near the circumference of said cylinder, the joints being rendered tight by steam packing-rings a b', attached to thepiston-wheel. The inner surfaces of the cy linder-heads form cams c c, which rise in opposite direction, the apex of .one cam being on top when the apex of the other cam is at the bottom, or vice versa. The cams c c determine the position of the piston E, which is fitted in a guide-slot, d, in the piston-wheel, and moves transversely through the same.

In order to facilitate the motion of the pistou in its guide-slot, roller-frames F are inserted in the sides of the guide-slot, and by the rollers the friction of the piston in said slot is reduced. The roller-frames may be made movable, and access can be had to them through doorsf* in the cylinder-heads, so that the same and also the piston can be repaired whenever it becomes requisite. The edges'of the piston fit against the ends of the slot d and against the inner surfaces ofthe cylinderheads or cams c o', and the joints at these edges are made tightby movable slots c, whit-h are pressed outward by triangular wedges. f and springs g. The arrangement of these slats, wedges, and springs is clearly shown-in Fig. l of the drawings, and by referring to that figure it will be seen that the springg is situ ated in a cavity within the body of the piston and guided by a longitudinal rod, g. This rod also forms the guide for the elbow-levers g2, which connect by links g3 with the triangular wedges f. By this arrangement one elliptic spring is sufficient to act simultaneously upon all the wedges, and the packingpieces or slats e are pressed out with a uniform pressure. The flat sides of the piston are hollowed out, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so that the steam which is admitted I jects from either or both sides of the same.

Vthe pipe fi and port k, and it exhausts through on one side ot the piston-wheel can pass j through the piston to the opposite side ot' said wheel and act on the piston as the saine prorlhe apex of each ofthe cams c c comes close up to one ot the sides ot the piston-wheel, as cle. irly shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, and in order to produce a steamtight joint 'between said apexes and the piston-wheel, packingpiects It IL are inserted, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 3 of the drawings. These packingpieees are pressed against the sides of the piston-wheel by springs ht, and they, together i with the apexes ofthe cams, produce the requisite abutments in either section of the c vlinder to enable the steam to act upon the piston. The cylinder takes steam through the port R and pipe t', and the ports k k are situated on the opposite sides of the apex of the cam c in that section of the cylinder in which said ports are situated. (See Fig. 4.) l`he stea-mport is closed by a stop-valve, I, which is operated by a hand-lever, l', and it is cut off during a short term of the revolution ofthe piston-wheel by the action ot' a slidevalve, m, to which motion is imparted by the eccentric m', or in any other suitable manner. The piston-wheel l) is mounted on a shaft, Gr, which passes through suitable boxes in the cylinder-heads, and has its bearings in standards H, or in the cylinder-heads, if desired. A ily-wheel, I, which is firmly keyed to said shaft, serves as the band-Wheel to transmit the power of the engine to the Working ma ehines. From the time the piston reaches the apex c of the cam until it passes the steamport the steam in that compartment of the cylinder which is not in direct communication with the ports works expansively; but as soon as the piston passes the steam-port steam is admitted, and itacts upon said piston with great advantage, on account of the cavities in the sides of the same, which allow the steam to pass through the pistonwheel, as previously explained. If desired, by giving the cutoff valve lead the steam may be cut ott' at anyportion'ofthe stroke and the steam worked eXpansively.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent- 1. The cams c c on the inner surfaces of the cylinder-heads, arranged in combination with the transversely-sliding piston E and pistonwheel D, constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

2. Making the sides of the piston concave, substantially as herein specified, to allow the steam to pass through the pistonwheel and act en both sides of the piston. A

3. The roller-frames F, applied in combination with the piston E,piston-Wl1eel D, and cams c c', 'substantially as and for the pur` pose herein shown and described. y

4. The doorsf* in the sides of the cylinder, arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. The spring-abutments or packing-pieces h h', applied to the apexes of the cams c c', in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein specified.

6. The movable slats c, applied in the edges ofthe piston, in combination with wedges j' and springs g, or their equivalents, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

T. G. MASSIE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM F. GooKIN, A. B. HAVENs. 

